1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dispensers for cable, wire and other linear products. The present invention is designed for use by electricians, but it may be useful to others.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical wire and cable is supplied for installation by electricians primarily in the following modes:
Spools—a seven inch diameter is common.
Reels—large spools, for which a four foot diameter is common.
Coils—Residential (RX)—two to eight inches in height.
Coils—Commercial (CX)—six to eight inches in height.
There are many different dispensers available for each of these different modes. The present invention provides a single dispenser that can be used for all four of these common modes.
There have been many previous inventions for dispensing linear products, but none that are equivalent to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,580,129, issued on Dec. 25, 1951, to Charles C. Rich, discloses a twine dispenser having a spring that presses a spool of twine down against a turntable. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it uses a turntable with sloping sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,059, issued on May 14, 1996, to Thomas A. Gudgeon and John Trinity, discloses an electrical wire spool guide, with adjustable side plates and an adjustable spacer. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that only it uses pipe spindles with setscrews or a spring-loaded pressure plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,283, issued on Sep. 22, 1998, to Patrick Joseph Shea, discloses an apparatus and method for wire coil payoff, in which the wire is dispensed through an eyelet in a shroud covering the coil. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it permits the wire to be paid off in any horizontal direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,197, issued on Apr. 20, 1999, to Arthur Kenneth McVaugh, discloses a cable reel handler for mounting at the rear of a truck for loading and unloading of cable reels. Again, the instant invention is distinguishable, in that only it uses pipe spindles with setscrews or a spring-loaded pressure plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,073, issued on Apr. 27, 1999, to Arthur K. McVaugh, discloses a reel handler, in which the reel is rotated by an hydraulic motor. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it is designed to be turned by hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,226, issued on May 2, 2000, to Robert L. Green, discloses a caddy for electrical extension cords, including a cylindrical container from which the cord is unwound using a hand crank and passes through an opening in the container. It does not disclose the use of pipe spindles with setscrews or a spring-loaded pressure plate, as in the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,662, issued on Jun. 27, 2000, to William C. Miller, discloses an expansible core shaft assembly for retaining spool cores in axially fixed positions, while permitting rotational slipping of the spool cores. Again, it does not disclose the use of pipe spindles with setscrews or a spring-loaded pressure plate, as in the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,181, issued on Jun. 5, 2001, to William F. Campbell, discloses a reusable wire distribution spool, with two halves, each having an end plate and a central mandrel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,661, issued on Nov. 19, 2002, to Mika Lauhde, discloses an arrangement for winding cables on and off a reel with a central hole.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,220, issued on Mar. 4, 2003, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,607, issued on Apr. 20, 2004, both to Dustin H. Weaver and Thomas L. Yoast, disclose a knockdown changeable reel system and method.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,885, issued on Mar. 7, 2006, to Richard J. Buckwitz, discloses a wire segment reel assembly and method, including a reel having a magnetic rim, turntable, magnetic key, and a wire feed tube. The instant invention is distinguishable, in that it does not require any magnetic parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,742, issued on Mar. 28, 2006, to Robert K. Dragoo, David E. Shepard and Michael A. Rowland, discloses a cylindrical container for storing material such as welding wire, from which it can be unwound.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,848, issued on Mar. 28, 2006, to Thomas William Fleming, discloses a hand-held cable reel, comprising a central cable receiving core mounted between a pair of disc-like end flanges.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,364,109, issued on Apr. 29, 2008, to Chin-Chang Kuo, discloses a cable reel with a turntable that can rewind the cable with the aid a volute spring not required in the instant invention.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0253015, published on Nov. 17, 2005, to Rudolf Bohnisch, discloses an unwinding apparatus for reeling off coiled material.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0008492, published on Jan. 8, 2009, to David E. Phillips, discloses a wire caddy designed to hold single or multiple spools of electrical wire used in the building trades. It does not disclose a turntable with rounded edges or the spring-loaded clamping mechanism of the instant invention.
German Patent No. 27 14 328, published on Oct. 27, 1977, inventor Antonio Macchi Cassia, discloses a serviette dispenser with a winding drum that may be mounted on a vertical spindle with a coil spring.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.